Barnes & Noble celebrates local winners of 'My Favorite Teacher' contest

By Jen Cowart
Posted 5/10/17

By JEN COWART The impact that teachers make on students was on display on Wednesday, April 26. Barnes and Noble celebrates teachers each school year by asking students to choose one who has been their favorite and write an essay about the role that

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Barnes & Noble celebrates local winners of 'My Favorite Teacher' contest

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The impact that teachers make on students was on display on Wednesday, April 26.

Barnes and Noble celebrates teachers each school year by asking students to choose one who has been their favorite and write an essay about the role that teacher has played for them both in school and out. It's a much-anticipated event, which began here in Rhode Island, at the Warwick Barnes and Noble store, and has gone nationwide since its inception years ago.

This year, three local teachers were chosen as the 2017 local winners by a committee of nomination-readers and they were celebrated on April 26 in the Warwick Barnes and Noble store. Nicholas Rath, a biology teacher at East Greenwich High School took first place, nominated by student Caroline Cheng, a sophomore who wrote the winning essay about Rath. Taking second place was Coventry High School teacher, Mychael Wilkinson, nominated by Kyle Dante, and in third was Cranston's Glen Hills Elementary School's fifth-grade teacher, Sara Muschiano, nominated by Western Hills Middle School sixth-grader, Alexandra Cowart. The contest was open to all middle and high school students, and according to a recent press release, the nominations could come in the form of an essay, poem or thank you letter, explaining how the teacher had influenced the students' lives and reveal why they appreciated and admired them. The entries were judged by the panel, based on the compelling nature of the teacher's qualities, the sincerity of the student's appreciation, and the quality of expression and writing.

“Important in the life of a child”

This year, Katie Rendine, Community Business Development Manager for the Warwick Barnes and Noble, said that the winning essays each had something in common that the judges had deemed important: an impact on the students' lives beyond the classroom. She opened the ceremony by thanking emcee Will Gilbert from TV's The Rhode Show, and she spoke about the differences she sees in today's education world as she interacts with educators through the realm of her position at Barnes and Noble.

"One of the greatest pleasures I have is being a witness to the amazing job our teachers are doing every day in the classroom and outside of the classroom," she said. "Education is different than when we were in school. New concepts. New approaches. New methods. I wanted to share what I see, to honor what is happening every day."

Rendine began to describe what she encounters as she observes educators through today's lens.

"Our teachers are 'lifelong learners' continuing to develop and explore new, exciting methods of teaching and engagement in learning, and doing so often on their own personal time. Teachers are giving their time to students, and this time does not fit within the confines of the class clock. They are investing time into the developing of a successful young person," she said. "Teachers are listening, providing guidance, mentoring and challenging students to reach for their goals. Teachers are inspiring students to look beyond their four walls, to be creative, and to explore new avenues. Teachers are advocates for our students for both personal needs and academic needs. Teachers are providing students with important life lessons that will help them succeed beyond the written work and standardized tests. Teachers are supporting and guiding students with personal challenges that they are facing within their community, home, school and social life. They are building students' self-esteem, their dignity and self-worth. Teachers today are creating tomorrow's leaders."

Gilbert began the awards ceremony. All of the teachers present had not yet read the written pieces that had won them their honored spots in the ceremony, all would be hearing what had been written about them for the first time; a very emotional experience for the students, the teachers and the audience members, many of whom were colleagues and fellow educators themselves, as well as family members of the winners.

The third place winner and only middle school student of the three, went first. Cowart read aloud to Muschiano, quoting the famous Dr. Seuss, whose quotes were frequently utilized in class by Muschiano. In her essay, Cowart detailed the ways in which Muschiano had prepared the students for the real world, beyond the classroom, especially through the use of her "Homeworkopoly" game. "She taught us what it was like in the real world. She gave us fake money which may sound like a babyish thing to do, but she knew that it would help us learn how to deal with money," Cowart said. "Each week she would choose two students who were the ‘bankers’ for the week and they got to handle the money and the homework. You would roll the dice and whatever you land on you move that many spots and have the chance to land on rewards, like $10 bonus cash, free snack, and lunch with the teacher, and more. You could buy things with your money like snacks and drinks and supplies. You had to pay rent for your desk and keep it neat to participate in fun activities."

Cowart believed that Muschiano's approachable nature allowed her to ask questions when necessary and she was thankful for her help during the school day and beyond.

"On the last day of school I was so sad to leave her, but I knew I would do great things in middle school and beyond because of how much she had prepared us," she said.

Muschiano responded to hearing the essay, stating her surprise at knowing that her students would remember such details from the daily goings on in her classroom.

"As my fellow teachers up here know, you spend 180 days with these kids, and you hope that you have had an influence on the, because that is what you're trying to do, but it's not until you're honored like this, that you actually know that you have had that influence on them," she said.

She ended with a quote from Forest Witcraft.

"It says, 'A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.'"

“Extra parental figure”

Don Cowart II took to the podium next, speaking as the Director of Curriculum, Instructor and Assessment for Coventry Public Schools, on behalf of the next honoree, but was also present as a parent. He praised all of the teachers both in the audience and those being honored. He also praised the parents for raising children who were thoughtful enough to acknowledge their teachers and to be writing in such a way as to win over the judges with their writing skills. He referenced Wilkinson as being a legend in the high school theater world, both in Coventry and in the R.I. high school drama arena, where he led his students to a win this past spring at the RI Drama Festival.

Dante approached the podium and read his essay, recounting his own personal story of learning confidence through his time with Wilkinson as a teacher, and finding his passion for film along the way.

"Over the past 37 years, Mr. Wilkinson has participated in over 100 productions and during his CHS tenure, he's directed over 30 plays," said Dante. "Besides directing, he's taught students the fundamentals of acting and film, while simultaneously teaching them how to be comfortable in their own skin and express themselves in various ways. With his drama classes, he teaches students to be more comfortable and confident as actors."

He spoke of his own personal confidence levels.

"By uptaking drama as a subject, Wilkinson's lessons have made me more confident as an individual; I've also come to respect film as an art than I did as a child. Since first meeting Wilkinson in September 2014, I've become inspired to study film-making in college due to these classes heightening my passion towards the entertainment industry."

Dante's respect for Wilkinson has influenced him both in and out of school.

"In fact, his drive has served as a starting point for me to mature after struggling at home and school for years," he wrote. "Throughout Coventry High School, I've considered Mr. Wilkinson an inspiration to my overall growth as a person....He's looked out for me like an extra parental figure due to whenever I've felt down and has given me advice to persevere....As a result of meeting him as an individual and having him as a teacher, Mr. Mychael Wilkinson is my favorite teacher for his contributions to the fine arts committee and heart shown to me during a rather tumultuous time."

Wilkinson responded, stating, "I need this so much. I have the best job in the world. There is no doubt about it."

He told of his own coming into teaching after having adopted two children, transitioning from the world of acting and directing.

"I decided that I'm going to do what the person who had most changed my life did, and that was a teacher, my high school drama teacher. That teacher changed my life forever," he said. He spoke of his first panic-stricken audition his senior year of high school, and of his teacher rolling down the aisle in laughter after that audition. "And in that moment, I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life. I thank Coventry for the wonderful opportunity, and I thank Kyle and all the wonderful students I have had."

“Emblematic of what’s right”

Cheng next read her first-place essay about East Greenwich High School biology teacher, Nicholas Rath, and his impact on her throughout this past year.

"As a nervous and insecure freshman, I rarely thought of myself as able to exceed in high school, much less life," she wrote. "But my attitude changed when I met Mr. Rath, my ninth-grade biology teacher. 'I see you going places,' he said to me one day after class. Really? Go where? I blended in the back of classrooms, was always told to 'speak up' and had no faith in my ideas. Even though I wanted to make a difference and stand out, I could only observe the confidence and assertiveness of our class leaders, but found none of my own. Held back by fear of failure and embarrassment, I convinced myself that I wasn't strong-willed or brave enough to accomplish anything."

Rath guided Cheng to a place where she learned to have faith in her own ability and pushed her to become a more confident student.

"Mr. Rath not only taught me biology, but the skills it takes to become a great leader," she said. "The person I am today is not the person I was one year ago. Today I am strong, passionate and confident. I am a member of the student council. I no longer need to be told to speak up in class. And most importantly, I can see myself doing great things. Thank you, Mr. Rath, as I could not be this person without motivation from you, who saw me 'going places' even when I couldn't."

Rath's response was one of thanks to Cheng on behalf of so many teachers, for her essay.

"When we hear something like that, it really touches something inside, it makes us feel something inside," he said. "We go to work every day, we love what we do and we just hope we're making a difference. When something like this happens, it really does hit home. This is my 23rd year teaching and I can tell you I've enjoyed every single year. I go into class every day and I just see these happy, smiling kids with such enthusiasm and such a zest for life, and I feel very privileged to be able to go to work with such motivated, hardworking kids, particularly kids like Caroline."

He spoke of the difference from his first year to now.

"Twenty-three years ago, when I first started teaching it was a slightly different career," he said. "It was a career where you had an audience in front of you and kids had a text book and your primary job was to get as much of that content as you could into the students and have them remember as much as they could. So much of that has changed. Today, it isn't so much the content but giving the kids the skills they need to be successful in a changing world where the jobs they may have don't yet exist today."

Rath's principal at East Greenwich High School, Michael Podraza, congratulated him and all of the winners, both teachers and students.

"It's an honor to be here. It's a small awards ceremony, but it's emblematic of what's right when education goes right," he said. "When we have the community, when we have parents who raise such wonderful young people to feel grateful enough to take steps to recognize people who have helped bring excellence into their life, it's emblematic because we have such talented young people who are then crafted and inspired through passionate and I'd guess risky, at times, teaching, this is really a special ceremony. It's an honor to be here to represent East Greenwich high school and to be a small piece of representing a teacher, student and community effort." Editor’s note: Don Cowart II is the author’s husband, and Alexandra Cowart is the author’s daughter.

PHOTOS AND CUTLINES

All together now: The top three winners from the Barnes and Noble My Favorite Teacher contest, both students and teachers, were honored among family, colleagues and administrators on April 26 in an emotional ceremony at the Warwick Barnes and Noble store. (Herald photos by Jen Cowart)

Making Cranston proud: Fifth-grade teacher, Sara Muschiano was nominated by sixth-grader Alexandra Cowart, now a student at Western Hills Middle School, for the impact she had on Cowart and her preparedness for life in middle school and beyond.

Taking first place: Caroline Cheng reads her essay aloud in front of her teacher, Nicholas Rath, praising him for bringing her out of her shell as she moved through her freshman year of high school, believing in her when she didn't believe in herself.

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